The present invention, hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name "Midnight Rose" relates to a new and distinct Geranium plant. "Midnight Rose" is a new and improved plant resulting from a planned breeding program as performed by me in my greenhouse at 821 Walnut Street, Batavia, Ill. My breeding program began in March 1977, and has been ongoing since that time. This seedling was initially identified by my records as 80.times.083AX, and was the result of a cross between Red Heart, an unpatented cascade Geranium as the seed parent crossed with "Indianapolis Pink", an unpatented cascade geranium as the pollen parent. Being a cross between two market class zonal Geranium plants, it is believed that the botanical classification Pelargonium.times.hortorum would be appropriate for this plant.
Upon recognition of the outstanding characteristics of this plant, it was selected from the progeny of the stated cross, and was set aside for further observation, testing, and was subsequently named "Midnight Rose." Asexual reproduction of "Midnight Rose" has been repeatedly accomplished by the rooting of vegetative cuttings in my greenhouse in Batavia, Ill. Examination of the plants so propagated through a series of propagations has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics herein disclosed for "Midnight Rose" are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations through asexual reproduction.